Protective glove

Abstract

A protective glove ( 10 ) is provided and includes a palm face ( 12 ) that covers the palm side of the hand and fingers and a back face ( 14 ) that covers the back side of the hand and fingers. The back face ( 14 ) includes at least one seam ( 22,24,26 ) that defines a corresponding bubble space ( 32,34,36 ) overlaying one of the knuckle joints in the hand. Each of the bubble spaces ( 32,34,36 ) provides an open area into which a corresponding knuckle joint can extend so as to improve flexibility of a user's hand and minimize fatigue.

The invention claim is: 
     
       1. A protective glove for a firefighter or emergency worker, the protective glove comprising:
 a palm face adapted to cover a palm side of a hand and fingers; and 
 a back face adapted to cover a back side of a hand and fingers, the back face including at least one seam located in a finger of the glove to overlay a knuckle joint in the hand, the at least one seam defining two aligned, convex crescent shaped edges facing inwardly toward a portion of the palm face directly opposite the at least one seam in the finger of the glove, the two edges being joined to each other along the convex crescent shape of the edges. 
 
     
     
       2. The protective glove of  claim 1  wherein the glove includes fingers and the at least one seam comprises a plurality of seams located in the fingers of the glove to overlay knuckle joints in the fingers of a hand when worn. 
     
     
       3. The protective glove of  claim 1  wherein the at least one seam comprises a continuous seam sized and located to overlay four metacarpophalangeal joints in a hand. 
     
     
       4. The protective glove of  claim 1  further comprising a forchet joining the palm face and the back face. 
     
     
       5. The protective glove of  claim 1  wherein the palm face and back face are connected directly to each other by a peripheral seam. 
     
     
       6. The protective glove of  claim 1  wherein the at least one seam is a stitched seam.